Understaffing is causing problems in seniors care homes and hospitals across Saskatchewan, says the official opposition.
NDP leader Cam Broten called for a solution to the problem last week, the first full week of the fall session of the legislative assembly.
“Listening to the heartbreaking stories of Saskatchewan families, it’s clear that this government is heading in the wrong direction when it comes to patient care and seniors care,” said Broten.
The NDP pointed to Sylvia Phillips, who spent more than seven weeks in a Saskatoon hospital waiting for space in a seniors care home.
Her family said because of short-staffing, family members needed to be there from morning until night because she couldn’t feed herself and was left to soil herself in bed.
Her son, Leon Phillips, said when he and his sister ran out of vacation time and couldn’t be with her all day, they had to pay $1,000 per week for a private caregiver.
Broten also spoke of Suzanne Stewart. Stewart is a retired nurse who said that coming back to a hospital as a patient over the last year has shown her that things have gotten much worse.
She pointed to “filthy dirty” conditions that included feces on the bathroom walls and vomit on the floor that wasn’t cleaned for days as a result of short staffing.
“People are holding up their end of the bargain when it comes to taking care of their families,” Broten said. “It’s time for this government to hold up its end of the deal. It’s time for the government to recognize that care is getting worse, and it has to stop.”
The Saskatchewan Party government has defended its record on health care and vowed to crack down on challenges facing the system, including seniors care homes.
– Compiled from a Saskatchewan NDP Caucus news release
